Here to Help
by miss moll-doll lilly
Summary: korra's here to help. makos here to protect


Here to Help

Mako spun and kicked furiously imagining all the men he was taking down. The fire bender was at his fiercest when angry. And to say he was angry right now in the gym beating the heck out of a fire training exercise would be like saying the sun was just a little warm at 2:00 pm in July on the equator. A slight understatement. Mako didn't get angry very often. Sure he can be uptight about something's but he normally goes out of his way to not display the fiercer fire bending side of himself. Right now though it didn't matter. Right now nothing mattered. Bolin was gone. Taken from right in front of his brother. And there was nothing Mako could do. No matter how loud he yelled or how hard he fought there was no getting to his brother in time… and so he's gone. But Mako will have his vengeance if he can't somehow rescue Bolin. He will have his vengeance on the snakes who stole his only family and best friend from him.

So here he was. The always under control Mako all but destroying the gym with his frustration. He had tried to go after Bolin but was stopped and held back. And now he was dealing with his grief and anger.

As soon as Korra started walking down the long hall towards the gym she could hear Mako's intense frustration and emotions coming from the sound of his bending. She had come as soon as she heard what happened and she knew he would be dealing with it in this way.

Korra came to the door of the gym but instead of going in decided to watch the scene for a little bit first. She had never seen Mako train. And she had definitely not seen him fight this hard. The heat in the room was like an oven instantly bringing a sweat to her forehead. Mako was at the far end of the room killing a dummy. He had his shirt off showing his rippling muscles. All tense and glistening with sweat. She had never seen him without his shirt on and it made her blush to her own annoyance.

Sure he was lean, fit, covered in muscles, and a total beast. What did it matter? Its not like she felt anything besides friendship for him. Bolin was just as fit as his brother. So why did seeing this hot (literally) beast of a fire bender bring heat to her cheeks and make her heart throb just a bit faster than it had been a second ago?…no reason…none at all. It didn't mean anything. At least that's what she forced herself to believe to bring up the courage to actually inter the room and address Mako. Korra took a sharp breath and stepped into the room.

"Mako?" he didn't hear her over the roar of fire so she said a little louder, "Mako! Hey!"

He stopped and slowly turned towards her and she flinched at his expression. One of total loss and grief and then anger again, a boiling rage inside of him. She also felt uncomfortable suddenly at the intense look he was giving her. His bright amber eyes almost seemed to glow making him look incredibly handsome and exotic. Korra blushed again taking in his flexed chest and abs.

"Hey…I came to see you and uh…" she stared.

"What do you want korra?" he asked harshly cutting her off.

"Mako I came to help. We're going to find your brother if it's the last thing I do. He's just as much my _friend_ as he is your brother!" she said a bit defensively putting her hands on her hips and looking up at him challenging like. Who cares if he was hot enough to make her sweat just looking at him. He could still at least try to be nice for once. But then she calmed herself again reminded why she was there and what he was going through. She sighed and looked down.

"Let me help you."

Mako looked at her. She was maybe 6 or 7 inches shorter than him but had an attitude twice as big. She was stubborn, inpatient, easily angered, extremely naturally talented, sporadic, and a total opposite from himself. Yet there was something about her that made his heart beat a little bit faster when she walked in the room or gave him one of her challenging smiles or beasted her enemies to the ground. He didn't quite understand this reaction he had. One that he had never felt before. Especially from a girl. Bolin always had it easy with girls. Mako didn't understand how he did it. Besides girls were a waist of time for him. Always getting in the way, annoying, screaming all the time, trying to impress but not truly caring about who he really was. All the crazed fan girls who, for some reason that he didn't understand, squeaked and turned mute when he walked by never appealed to him. They were too fake, too… too high pitched. But Korra, Korra was different. She never squeaked or screamed or fainted or even try to show her stuff. Korra was just Korra. The girl standing in front of him with her hands on her hips daring him to send her away. She was, he thought, the only girl he could ever care for. But he would never admit it to anyone. He hadn't even told Bolin how he felt when she walked by. How he always seamed harsher around her just because he felt like an idiot and didn't know how to deal with himself. He hadn't truly know what he thought about her for a while after they met. It was really just recently that something clicked in him. He cared for her. He didn't want her to go, not really. Especially after loosing Bolin. If he aloud himself to admit the truth all he wanted to do at that moment was wrap her up in his arms and never let go. He couldn't bare the thought of loosing her too. But he didn't. He couldn't. She would never love him like he loved her. She was the avatar and obviously thought he was the most annoying person in the world. Which is why he was actually very surprised to see her there in front of him staring with her brilliant blue eyes. Her cheeks were red but he attributed that to the heat of the fire. Her offer to help him also surprised him. But he hid his thoughts and didn't let her see his feelings at her being there with him in his grief.

"Mako let me help you." she pleaded. He looked down at her again. Beauty is all he thought of. How strong and beautiful…he shook himself trying to throw the thought out of his head, and snorted loosing smoke out of his nostrils just like a dragon.

"how can you help Korra? …How?" he asked softer as he saw the pain in his eyes reflected in hers. She took a step closer bringing a blush to both their cheeks.

"Will you trust me? To do what I know you need me to do to feel better?" he shifted slightly feeling unsure of what she meant or wanted.

"I think so…maybe." he said nervously as she took another step. Then another. She was only about a foot away. He could surprisingly feel her cool breathing against is skin even from that foot away. Mako wasn't sure what to do. He couldn't movie no matter how loudly his mind screamed for him to. His breath caught in his throat, he never noticed the depths of her eyes or her minted scent. Then to his unwilling disappointment she stepped back and (almost sadly) smirked at his expression. Which was completely struck dumb.

Knowing her mocking face he quickly shook his head and adapted his usual frown trying hard to let her know he wasn't giving into her charms. Even though a second ago he would of gladly kissed her there and then. And had seriously considered it.

"Common Mako lets go." Korra said smiling at him. "You need some fresh air."

He humped again letting out smoke. "Fine…"

She grabbed his wrist and pulled him out the door and down the pier. She let go of him when they got to the end. It was his favorite time of day. Just before the sun touched the horizon of the ocean. The sky was coated in warm color and the ocean sparkled its reflection. This sight _almost _brought a smile to his face. But not quite as he remembered standing here with Bolin. He watching the sunset and his brother waving at a couple of cute girls to his left. Of course they were smiling and barely squeaking when ever he looked at them. Mako would just role his eyes but smile at his brother.

He hadn't really seen this sight for a long time. The matches and fights had seamed to consume all of his time. So when she brought him here he had to wonder if she knew how much this place meant to him. He turned and looked at her. The orange light making her glow as she studied the beautiful sunset. Right then looking at her face and seeing the pain he felt himself in her eyes, all he wanted was to hold her and protect her from all the dangers. He knew very well that she was capable of protecting herself but that didn't effect the feeling if protectiveness he felt. All these thoughts and feelings were growing and strengthening just looking at her there by his side. As he thought about that he realized that's exactly what he wanted. He wanted her by his side always. Forever there to give him the extra power he needed to face each day. Even if the world turned against him, he knew if she was there to support him it wouldn't matter who hated him. Because she would always be there. That's what he wanted. That's what he finally realized standing there.

Korra turned to find her team mate staring at her in the oddest way. Like he was thinking hard. But at the same time he didn't have that hard edge to his eyes. They were soft and almost…she blushed. Loving? Could it be? Korra had know for a while that she felt more for Mako than for anyone else. Why would her mind go blank when he talked to her? Or why would her heart beat harder and faster when she received one of his extremely rare smiles that never lasted long but where just enough? Why did, when she felt alone with all the pressure in the world on her shoulders, want to run into his strong arms and forget about everything but him in that moment? She knew why. But she always scoffed at her foolishness. He didn't think anything of her. She was stubborn annoying and nothing like him. Why would he care for her? He didn't. That was always her thought. So despite all her feelings for him she tried to forget. It wasn't going so well at the moment though. Korra's heart kept getting off beat and she couldn't quite finish any of her thoughts much less remember what she was thinking about before he looked at her. His eyes bored into hers like lasers. But they weren't harsh. They where pulling her in. Tugging at her feelings making them grow. She tried to glance away, anywhere but his eyes. But the only other place she could look was his lean body which wouldn't do. So his eyes is where she looked. Finally giving in.

"Korra…" he whispered. "I'm sorry for how I've been towards you…could you ever forgive me?" now he looked nervous. Almost as nervous as she felt. "I need you in my life. I realize that now."

She didn't know what to say. Was he say he needed her friendship in tough times or…or was he saying something more. Was he finally saying what she forced herself to not even dream of him saying.

"Mako. You don't need to worry. I will always be here to help you. We're team mates right? That's what we do." she said a bit nervously.

He looked down then back to her again. "Korra are we just team mates? Are we just friends? Could you never see me as more? I don't just need you as a friend korra. And I want to be here to help _you _just as you want to help me._" Mako reached up and gently pushed a loose hair back in its place. She shivered from the contact not believing what she was hearing._

_Reading her body language he was encouraged and took a step towards her. It didn't take much to close the gap._

_Unexpected tears rolled down her cheeks. He was here and wanted her wanted to protect and heal her. That's all see needed to know._

_Mako wrapped her in his arms surprised by the sudden emotion she was showing. But he knew all she had gone through and all she will go through so he held her tighter when another sob soaked his shirt. _

_Korra could not have wanted anyone better to hold her there when all the stress and pain she had gone through finally came out. Mako held her tight but and too tight. He rubbed her back and said something into her hair. She buried her face deeper into his jacket feeling warmer and safer then she had ever felt before and that feeling brought on another sob. Finally she calmed down and pushed back just enough to see his face._

"_Will stay with me Mako? Will you be here in peace? Will you be here in war?"_

_He looked at her with all the love in his heart and stroked her cheek brushing away her tears. Then he lean in touching his forehead to hers and whispered so no one but her could hear. "Always…and forever."_

_Such a warmth came over Korra in that moment she smiled and laughed chokingly from lack of breath. She looked into the depths of his eyes again and said, "Always and forever."_

_Mako kissed her there. Kissed her with love and comfort. Not with lust or strong passion. He wanted her to know how much he wanted to make her happy and to see that he would **do** anything to keep her safe. He told her all that with just that one amazing kiss. He felt her smile into the kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he held her face gently. _

_Pulling away reluctantly she stared up into his eyes and laughed. He could not have looked happier or more foolish if he tried. She reached up and quickly kissed him again before letting go._

"_Common hot stuff. We have work to do." Korra said lacing her fingers through his and letting him put his arm around her._

"_yeah beautiful… lets go." Mako said smirking at her._

_Ten minute later as they walked onto the fairy to air temple island Mako turned to her and said with a raised eyebrow and smug smile. "So, you think I'm hot."_

_Korra blushed but smiled. "Hey its not every day I see you beating the living daylights out of the dummy in gym without your shirt, muscles tense and rippling, and seriously besting it up out there…" she stopped suddenly noticing his amused look. _

"_I never knew you paid so much attention to me." he said eyes laughing at her._

_Korra blushed but smiled, "yeah. I mean your ok so don't let it go to your head."_

_Mako laughed again, hugged her, and kissed her on the cheek. "Well your pretty hot too."_


End file.
